Red and golden beets on toast

By: Marie Hertz | Serves 4

This toast is a sort of vegetarian version of the Danish ‘Parisian’ beef tartare. I made it for lunch on a cold winter’s day when I felt like eating meat but didn’t have any. What I did have were beets that were still in the ground in our kitchen garden. The combination of beets and raw egg yolks meant that I didn’t even miss the meat. It’s really delicious! Save whatever beets you might have left and mix them with a good vinaigrette, parsley and hazelnuts and use them as a salad for another meal.

• 2 red normal beetroots
• 2 golden beets
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 horseradish
• 4 slices of good bread
• Butter

For the glace:

• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp salt 

Place the red and golden beets in separate small pots, as otherwise the golden ones will take on the red colour, and boil them in generously salted water until they are somewhat tender but still have some ‘bite’. Next, place them in ice cold water and push the skin off the beets. Put the beets aside to cool off.

Add the ingredients for the glace in a small pot and bring to the boil. Reduce and season – it needs to be a balance of tart, sweet and salty.

Toast the bread in a pan with butter until golden.

Cut the beets into paper thin slices either using a knife or a mandoline slicer. Spread the slices evenly on top of the fried toast and brush on the glace. Place a raw egg yolk on top and grate the horseradish over the toast. Serve immediately.